Lawyer: Driver in Worcester hit-and-run death was unaware she hit anyone

Wednesday

Apr 23, 2014 at 11:34 AMApr 23, 2014 at 1:49 PM

By Gary V. Murray TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

WORCESTER — A Leicester woman was released on $2,500 cash bail after being arraigned today on charges stemming from an April 12 hit-and-run accident on Main Street that claimed the life of an 83-year-old man.

Police and prosecutors allege that Elizabeth Marc-Aurele, 24, of 188 Chapel St., Leicester was the driver of a van that struck and killed Albert Sescilla as he was crossing Main Street in a crosswalk shortly before 3 a.m. April 12. The accident occurred in the area of 995 Main St.

She was charged Tuesday with motor vehicle homicide by negligent driving, leaving the scene of a personal injury accident resulting in death, driving so as to endanger, failure to slow for a pedestrian in the roadway and failure to file an accident report. The charges were lodged after Ms. Marc-Aurele and her lawyer, Michael M. Monopoli, went to police headquarters and Ms. Marc-Aurele was questioned by investigators about the accident.

Ms. Marc-Aurele was released later in the day on $2,500 cash bail posted by her family. She was arraigned this morning in Central District Court. Not-guilty pleas were entered by the court on her behalf.

Judge David B. Locke set the previously-posted $2,500 cash bail requested by Assistant District Attorney David Feraco and continued Ms. Marc-Aurele's case to June 5. The prosecutor told Judge Locke Ms. Marc-Aurele had no prior criminal record and that Worcester police had asked the state Registry of Motor Vehicles to suspend her driver's license as an immediate threat to public safety.

Police said earlier that they recovered evidence at the accident scene from the right headlight assembly of the suspect vehicle and that the part was consistent with either a Dodge Caravan or Chrysler Town and Country minivan. They said the windshield of the vehicle that hit Mr. Sescilla might have also been damaged.

Mr. Monopoli said after the arraignment that his client drove from Leicester to Worcester on the morning of the fatal accident after one of her girlfriends called her asking for a ride. The girlfriend said she was having a problem with her boyfriend and asked to be picked up at a convenience store near City Hall, according to Mr. Monopoli.

In the area of McDonald's on Main Street, the windshield of the Dodge van Ms. Marc-Aurele was driving was damaged and she believed something had hit the vehicle, according to Mr. Monopoli. He said Ms. Marc Aurele "had no idea she struck anyone or hurt anyone" and was afraid to stop "because of the nature of the area."

She continued on to the Main Street convenience store where she believed her friend was waiting, according to the defense lawyer.

Upon her arrival there, she spoke to police officers, who told her the woman she was looking for had left with a man, Mr. Monopoli said. He said Ms. Marc-Aurele's mother, who owned the van, had the vehicle repaired in the days that followed.

According to a statement of facts filed by police in support of their application for a criminal complaint against Ms. Marc-Aurele, evidence at the accident scene showed she attempted to avoid striking Mr. Sescilla, who lived in a nearby rest home, "by swerving and braking." After the accident, the suspect continued driving the blue 2007 Dodge Grand Caravan "and made turns consistent with someone attempting to avoid detection," police allege.

Mr. Monopoli said his client came to believe she might have been involved in an accident only after a friend of her mother's mentioned that a man had been killed crossing Main Street on the morning in question. Ms. Marc-Aurele came to his office April 18 and police were notified that day, according to Mr. Monopoli. Arrangements were eventually made for Ms. Marc-Aurele to meet with investigators on Tuesday, he said.

He also said the Dodge van had been surrendered to police.

"The case is going to come down to did she know she struck someone? The jury's going to decide that," Mr. Monopoli said.